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To remove the password on a Windows laptop, go to Start > Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options. Click on Password, select Change, enter your current password, and leave the new password fields blank. On macOS, go to Apple menu > System Settings > Login Password, then change the password and leave the new fields blank.
Windows 11 & Windows 10
- Go to Start > Settings > Accounts.
- Click on Sign-in options.
- Under the Ways to sign in section, click on Password, then click Change.
- Type in your current password and click Next.
- Leave the New password and Confirm password fields completely blank, then click Next and Finish.
- Press Windows Key + R to open the Run dialogue box.
- Type netplwiz and press Enter.
- Uncheck the box that says Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer.
- Click Apply, enter your current username and password to confirm, and click OK.
macOS (MacBook Password)
- Click the Apple logo in the top-left corner of the screen.
- Select System Settings (or System Preferences on older macOS versions).
- Scroll down and click Users & Groups.
- Set the Auto Login option to your current user profile.
- Enter your current administrator password to authorize the change.
Resetting a Local Windows Account Password
Local accounts, meaning ones that use just a username with no email address attached, require a different approach since there is no Microsoft server to verify your identity against.
If you set up security questions when creating the account:
- On the sign in screen, click Reset password underneath the password box.
- Answer the security questions you originally chose.
- Set and confirm a new password.
If you have access to another administrator account on the same laptop:
- Sign in using the other administrator account.
- Open Settings, go to Accounts, then Family and other users.
- Select the locked account and click Change account type or Reset password, depending on your Windows version, then follow the prompts to set a new one.
If neither option is available: A full system reset may be necessary, which reinstalls Windows and clears the password along with personal files unless a backup option is chosen. Our detailed guide on how to reset a laptop walks through this process safely, including how to preserve your files where possible during the reset.
Resetting a Windows Password Linked to a Microsoft Account
If your laptop signs in using an email address rather than just a simple username, you are using a Microsoft account, and this is by far the easiest situation to recover from.
- On the sign in screen, click I forgot my password underneath the password field.
- Enter the email address associated with your account when prompted.
- Microsoft will send a verification code to a backup email or phone number you set up previously. Enter this code to confirm your identity.
- Create a new password, confirm it, and sign back in as normal.
This process needs an internet connection during setup, so if your laptop is not yet connected to Wi Fi, connect it first from the sign in screen before starting the reset.
What Not to Do
Third party tools that claim to bypass a Windows or Mac login entirely, particularly free downloads from unfamiliar websites, are a common source of malware and should be avoided. Every method described above uses the official recovery tools built directly into Windows and macOS, which is both safer and, in almost every case, faster than an unofficial workaround.
Preventing This From Happening Again
Once access is restored, it is worth setting a password you are confident you will remember, or better still, enabling a PIN or fingerprint login alongside it for daily use. Our guide on change a laptop password covers the full process for updating your login once you are back in, along with tips for choosing something memorable but still secure.
